Before You Go

Short-Term Student Permission as a Short-Term Student is suitable for students who will not need to be in the UK for more than six months in any twelve month period.

On 24 April 2015, the Short-Term Student immigration category replaced the Student Visitor immigration category. The new Immigration Rules stipulate that an applicant must have “been accepted on a course of study of no more than 6 months”.

Non-visa nationals (US citizens) do not need to apply for this visa before entering the UK. All they need to do is ask for a Short-term Student visa stamp at the immigration desk when entering the UK. You can obtain this visa upon entry to the UK from any country of departure. It is still advisable to have all the necessary documents required in case you need to show them. It is important to note that if you do not apply for your visa in advance, you cannot enter the UK through the Republic of Ireland. For more guidance on this see the following section from the UKCISA website:

You must leave the UK on or before the expiry date and will not be able to extend it or switch into a different category in the UK

You cannot make an application more than 3 months in advance of the start of the course. However make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make your application and receive your visa. You can find out how long it takes to process a visa in your home country on the UKVI website

When you make your application, state when you wish the visa to start from (date you intend to enter the UK) otherwise they will start the visa from the date they issue the visa to you

Make sure you supply sufficient evidence to support your application. Decision making can be subjective so do not give them a reason to doubt the validity of your application Requirements for the application Below is a list of things you will likely be required to provide as part of the application process.

Documents required for Short-Term Student Visa

Official acceptance letter from Goldsmiths

You should use your offer letter from Goldsmiths confirming your course details, the dates you need to be in the UK and the course fees.

Proof of financial support

You should prepare at least 3 months bank statements to show that you have funds to cover yourself whilst you are in the UK. If you have a scholarship make sure you obtain a letter from your financial aid office confirming their sponsorship for the period you will be in the UK. It would also be a good idea to show you have medical/travel insurance to cover the period of your study.

Your accommodation and return flight itinerary

They will expect you to provide some evidence of where you will be living while you are in the UK. This information will be included in your acceptance letter from Goldsmiths. You should also expect to show proof of a return flight ticket booking.

Qualifications

You may be required to show proof of your academic qualifications to prove that you are a valid student. The Office of International Programs at Vassar will provide a Letter of Enrollment to that effect.